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Tension fabric buildings used at mining site.

Advantages of Fabric Buildings vs Traditional Construction Methods

If the children’s story The Three Little Pigs were written today, the smart pig would have made his home with a fabric building. He had to sacrifice time and fun to build a strong home that would protect him from the big bad wolf. His brothers however, unwilling to sacrifice fun or spend much on materials lost their homes to a huff and a buff. A fabric building would allow the smart pig (and site managers) to not compromise time for strength and vice versa. There are many advantages fabric buildings have over traditional buildings. In addition to faster setup, fabric buildings are more cost-effective, portable, low-maintenance, and easy to change. They also aren’t limited to one surface type and allow plenty of natural light. A fabric building surely, would outlast a huff and a puff with all these benefits.

Industrial warehouse fabric building in the arctic.

Fabric Buildings & Energy Efficiency

You may have your operations housed in an old building, wasting energy and driving up costs due to poor insulation, etc. Before you begin upgrades, it’s important to explore all your options for repairing an old structure or building a new one. Sometimes repairing an old structure can be just as expensive as building a new one, and both take a lot of time. Another option is to use a fabric building to support your operations, as they are fast and easy to setup. In addition, they are typically less costly than upgrades or a building a brick-and-mortar structure. Alaska Structures designs fabric structures with a host of benefits and ways to save and increase energy efficiency.

GBX gable buildings temporarily used for housing in remote camp in Alaska.

Fabric Buildings vs. ISO Containers

ISO shipping containers provide a way for intermodal transport, shipping items from the ship to the rails and then to trucks. This versatility doesn’t translate to housing and camping, however some commercial and governmental operations use them for this purpose. Imagine trying to sleep or work inside a metal crate with no windows or insulation. Those aren’t optimal conditions to live or work in. A better option for a camp system would be a fabric structure, designed to house people and equipment. Factors that make fabric structures a better option are safety, shipping costs, portability, construction costs, versatility, and energy efficiency.

Green Building Practices With Alaska Structures

Nationally and globally there have been efforts to reduce waste and pollution on our planet, including the recent Paris Agreement. With global warming and new legislation, operations must use energy-efficient and eco-friendly buildings to help the planet and avoid lawsuits. Green buildings efficiently use energy, protect occupant health and reduce waste and pollution according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Alaska Structures offers a solution for operations managers that will follow EPA standards while not increasing operation costs a lot. Their fabric structures are equipped with lots of options that cut down energy costs, are reusable, and comfortable for employees to work in.